I consider myself a huge fan of Joe Hill. I read his novel Heart Shaped Box, one of my absolute favorite stories now, first and immediately sought outI consider myself a huge fan of Joe Hill. I read his novel Heart Shaped Box, one of my absolute favorite stories now, first and immediately sought out everything he has written. This one didn't quite hit the spot for me and I'm not sure if it was because I seem to have a hard time with short stories (and I don't know why) or if it just wasn't the best. I suppose that's a matter of opinion.

The stories were interesting and thoroughly original, but they were just a bit odd and I think I was expecting more.

I enjoyed the Imogene story; I'm always a sucker for a ghost story.

Now the inflatable boy story... that's where the oddness comes into play.

Overall, this was just okay for me. I enjoy his full length stories much much more. ...more

Short and sweet little prequel. Wasn't sure at first what I would think of it, girl in mental institution simply because her gift is misunderstood, seShort and sweet little prequel. Wasn't sure at first what I would think of it, girl in mental institution simply because her gift is misunderstood, seemed kind of typical.

By the end; however, I did feel like I wanted to continue with the rest of the series. Hopefully it gets more exciting.

I read this after I read Travis Thrasher's 'Ghostwriter' because I was told that the similarities between the two are ridiculous, so I felt that I shoI read this after I read Travis Thrasher's 'Ghostwriter' because I was told that the similarities between the two are ridiculous, so I felt that I should judge this for myself. The similarities were astounding and I now refuse to read anything by Travis Thrasher.

I find Stephen King's writing to be flawless; he's got an amazing way with words. I have only read a few of his books but everything of his that I've read is amazing, including this story.

FYI - This rating is based solely on the story by Charlaine Harris! I may go back and edit this based upon the remaining short stories, but t2.5 stars

FYI - This rating is based solely on the story by Charlaine Harris! I may go back and edit this based upon the remaining short stories, but that's not likely.

I'm a huge fan of her Sookie Stackhouse series so I couldn't resist a short story to get me by until her next full length novel. Sadly, I was super disappointed.

This short story involved Tara and JB and the recent addition(s) to their family. Not having enough space for their new twins they decide to renovate and do some 'Home Improvements'. Work comes to an abrupt stop when a hammer is found hidden in one of the walls they're tearing down... and it's covered in blood.

Typical of a normal Sookie novel I suppose, this blood hammer mystery is immediately solved, i.e. "Oh that must be the hammer that was used to kill *insert name here*". Kinda made me go all squinty eyed and say, "Really? Now how in the hell did you just pull that one outta your ass?" Considering this was a short story and all I suppose I can understand the immediate solution but still it was eye-roll inducing.

In the end everything is solved and everyone lives happily ever after... as can be expected. But wait. The story is over? But there weren't even any vampires!!!! Crap I say, crap....more

’There is nothing so patient, in this world or any other, as a virus searching for a host.’

Countdown is a must-read for fans of the Newsflesh novels. Countdown takes you back before the virus was spread, before the zombies came alive, when the world was still as vivid and vibrant as it is today. This is a super short story and left me wanting much much more, but it was still an extremely informative piece of writing that I felt was essential to truly understanding the Newsflesh world. You don't get to read anything about Shaun or George or even Buffy, but you do get a glimpse into the life of Amanda Amberlee, the creator of the cure Dr. Alexander Kellis, and of the group responsible for unleashing it onto the world, ‘The Mayday Army’.

Once again I’m astonished at the ability that Mira Grant has in world building. Even with a short story, she does a phenomenal job at pulling you right in. She makes you feel as if her world truly does exist and that you need to remember to grab your shotgun before leaving the house to protect yourself from the zombies waiting outside. This short story made me love the first two Newsflesh books even more and also made me just a tad bit crazier over my desire to read Blackout. (As if that was possible).

Mira Grant? You're amazing.

’When will you Rise?And the world gave itself an answer:Now.Welcome to the aftermath.’...more

I’ve recently stumbled upon several series that offer little prequel books like this. I absolutely hate finishing a book, hating it, and feeling likeI’ve recently stumbled upon several series that offer little prequel books like this. I absolutely hate finishing a book, hating it, and feeling like I’ve wasted time in my life that I’m never going to get back so… I’ve begun reading prequels. I feel prequels give you a good sense of how the series is going to go and whether or not it’s worth pursuing. Fortunately, Daimon didn’t feel like a big time waster and I’m actually interested in continuing this series.

Daimon tells the story of Alexandria “Alex”, a child of a demi-god and a mortal, so not quite a demi-god but still has some of the powers. Alex and her mother have been hoping to escape detection of the daimon’s for the past 3 years while living among mortals after they fled in the middle of the night from the Covenant for a reason that Alex’s mother never explained. After being discovered by the daimon’s, Alex is forced to run away to escape them, but she has nowhere to go. The only place she knows to run is to the Covenant, but it’s the one place her mother always told her she could never go back to. The prequel ended with Alex still trying to reach the Covenant and outsmart the daimon’s chasing her. Very interested story, will definitely be adding the other books to my to-read list. :)...more

This is a super short novella by the author of 'Hold Me Closer, Necromancer.' I think I made the mistake of reading this novella prior to reading her full-length novel, but oh well.

This story revolves around Ashley (who is apparently introduced in 'Hold Me Closer') and her childhood friend Matt. Regardless of me not knowing more about the characters prior to reading it was still a fun little enjoyable read....more

I am a big sucker for any Highlander time travel romance type story... and 'Amethyst Heat' was all of those wrapped into one. Great cover and even better title, I knew I had to read it. Oh so short yet oh so enjoyable. Beautiful story!...more

The 4 star rating is based solely upon the short story “A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows” written by Diana Gabaldon!

When I read on Diana's website thThe 4 star rating is based solely upon the short story “A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows” written by Diana Gabaldon!

When I read on Diana's website that not only did she have a short story published in "Songs of Love and Death: All-Original Tales of Star-Crossed Love" but that it was a story about Roger! In "An Echo in the Bone" Diana Gabaldon generated yet another mystery that had to do with Roger's parents.

I really enjoyed this even though it only made me want more... it did answer the question to the mystery though! Recommended for any Outlander fans who need something to tide them over till the next book. (Don't expect it to satisfy you for long though!)...more

Intriguing introduction to the full length novel by the same name. I would definitely be interested in continuing, the author's writing was quite viviIntriguing introduction to the full length novel by the same name. I would definitely be interested in continuing, the author's writing was quite vivid and kept you enthralled in this different world. Definitely worth trying!...more

‘At the time the pigeon affair overtook him, unhinging his life from one day to the next, Jonathan Noel, already past fifty, could look back over a go‘At the time the pigeon affair overtook him, unhinging his life from one day to the next, Jonathan Noel, already past fifty, could look back over a good twenty-year period of total uneventfulness and would never have expected anything of importance could ever overtake him again – other than death some day.’

‘The Pigeon’ is an incredibly short story detailing a day (albeit a rather momentous day) in the life of Jonathan Noel. Jonathan leads a secluded and private life as a bank security guard in Paris. He enjoys the life he has made for himself and is perfectly content with it continuing as such for his remaining years; however, on his way to work one morning this all comes collapsing down around him as he discovers a pigeon on his front porch. As soon as the pigeon entered his life, his life literally came crumbling apart in his mind. All of his carefully made plans became as fragile as a snowflake.

‘…but he suddenly no longer saw himself – that is, he no longer saw himself as a part of the world surrounding him. It was rather, as if for a few seconds he were standing far away, outside it, and were regarding this world through the wrong end of a telescope.’

I became an instant fan of Patrick Süskind after stumbling upon his novel ‘Pefume’. It left such a permanent imprint on me and is still one of my favorite books to date. I’m not sure why I never looked into whether or not he had any additional works, but after embarking on my ‘1001 Books to Read Before I Die’ reading challenge I discovered ‘The Pigeon’ as one of those 1001. Overjoyed, I knew I had to have it.

Patrick Süskind’s writing is so thoroughly impressionable that earlier this afternoon I saw a pigeon on the side of the road and had to suppress a shiver as Jonathan’s fears flooded my mind. Mildly amusing, but, I’m not sure I’ll be able to look at a pigeon the same again. His descriptions of the pigeon and Jonathan’s instant anxiety over the pigeon were immediately understandable even though, looking at the bigger picture, it seemed as if he made a fuss over nothing. I’ll admit, I laughed at first because it seemed quite absurd, but as the story progressed you can see now it’s not just the pigeon that affected poor Jonathan in that manner; it was just the catalyst to a series of events that disrupted his painstakingly normal existence.

I’m giving ‘The Pigeon’ 5 stars for one reason and one reason only (and it’s not because it’s as great a story as Perfume because it isn’t): because he’s a truly amazing writer. I will read anything written by Patrick Süskind. It’s just such a shame that there aren’t more novels of his in existence to read....more

"Perhaps it is the very simplicity of the thing which puts you at fault."

Compared to the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, this was one I knew I couldn't p"Perhaps it is the very simplicity of the thing which puts you at fault."

Compared to the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, this was one I knew I couldn't possibly miss. I could see some similarities, but naturally, Sherlock was sorely missed. In his place, Poe's writing was an adequate replacement. The story was not full of any action; however, it was a recollection of the search that was conducted for the 'purloined letter' and the reasoning that sometimes what you're looking for is right under your nose all along.

"It is merely," I said, "an identification of the reasoner's intellect with that of his opponent."...more

’Arousing from the most profound of slumbers, we break the gossamer web of some dream.’

Another short story by Edgar Allan Poe that tells of a man that’Arousing from the most profound of slumbers, we break the gossamer web of some dream.’

Another short story by Edgar Allan Poe that tells of a man that wakes in darkness to be judged and given a death sentence. He loses consciousness and falls into somewhat of a slumber, where he is still aware, but… not.

’The blackness of eternal night encompassed me. I struggled for breath. The intensity of the darkness seemed to oppress and stifle me. The atmosphere was intolerably close.’

Thinking that the sentence may have already been passed, he still did not feel that he himself was dead, but rather he felt that he was being kept in a dungeon of sorts.

This was quite a creepy and disconcerting little story and definitely gave me goosebumps.

’I had but escaped death in one form of agony, to be delivered unto worse than death in some other.’

And I’ve now determined that reading about rats crawling on you while you sit in your cubicle at work can cause some awkwardness for you and everyone around you. I did make some embarrassing sounds that I was not able to sufficiently explain.

Something along the lines of uuuugggggaaaaaaaaaahhhhhahhhhhhheeeeewwwwwwww.

And the award for the longest run-on sentence that still manages to somewhat make sense goes to... yes, you, Edgar. You, my friend, know how to use thAnd the award for the longest run-on sentence that still manages to somewhat make sense goes to... yes, you, Edgar. You, my friend, know how to use those punctuation's to their fullest potential and then some. You even manage to use dashes like it's nobody's business.

And now for the winning sentence...*deep breathe*

"It was possible, I reflected, that a mere different arrangement of the particulars of the scene, of the details of the picture, would be sufficient to modify, or perhaps to annihilate its capacity for sorrowful impression; and, acting upon this idea, I reined my horse to the precipitous brink of blank and lurid tarn that lay in unruffled luster by the dwelling, and gazed down -- but with a shudder even more thrilling than before -- upon the remodeled and inverted images of the gray sedge, and the ghastly tree-stems, and the vacant and eye-like windows."

*gasp*

Holy criminy.

Overall an odd story that requires much interpretation because at face value it doesn't make a damn bit of sense. Yet... I'm oddly intrigued at his writing style and will definitely be seeking out more of his work in the future....more

Having watched the movie, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' I never really had any desire to read the book. FinInterested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!

Having watched the movie, 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' I never really had any desire to read the book. Finally deciding to do so, I was quite surprised that the movie created a superb rendition of the book and that the role of Holly Golightly, played by Audrey Hepburn, was an absolutely perfect portrayal.

Holly Golightly has to be one of the strangest fictional characters I have read to date. She's eccentric and odd in a completely entrancing way and yet shows no attempts at actually trying to be this way; she just simply is.

"So," he said, "what do you think: is she or ain't she?""Ain't she what?""A phony.""I wouldn't have thought so.""You're wrong. She is a phony. But on the other hand you're right. She isn't a phony because she's a real phony. She believes all this crap she believes. You can't talk her out of it."

I quite enjoyed Truman Capote's writing and look forward to his next book on my list: In Cold Blood....more

’This paper looks to me as if it KNEW what a vicious influence it had!

There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken neck and two bu’This paper looks to me as if it KNEW what a vicious influence it had!

There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken neck and two bulbous eyes stare at you upside down. I get positively angry with the impertinence of it and the everlastingness. Up and down and sideways they crawl, and those absurd, unblinking eyes are everywhere. There is one place where two breadths didn't match, and the eyes go all up and down the line, one a little higher than the other.’

Man, that yellow wallpaper has some nerve. Sure, the woman was obviously going insane prior to moving to this house with that vicious yellow wallpaper but honestly? If that worthless husband of hers would have just changed it when she told him to none of this would have happened. So I blame the husband. And that vicious yellow wallpaper.

A short story of regrets, doubts, and learning to play the cards dealt to you in life.

My initial thoughts was that this story reminded me of the moviA short story of regrets, doubts, and learning to play the cards dealt to you in life.

My initial thoughts was that this story reminded me of the movie Where the Heart Is, although maybe not quite as dramatic. April gets pregnant at 17 by her high school boyfriend Ryan. When her mom finds out she starts planning their wedding immediately, but that day never comes because her mother has less than 2 months to live.

Taking a stroll down memory lane 10 years later, April looks back thinking of everything that could have been but will never be. She worries that she never lived up to who her mother wanted her to be. Amid her recollections of the past, she waits for her 6 year old boy to get off the bus from school. When he's not on the bus and she can't find him at school, she's forced to put her life into perspective.

Predictable but cute short story that made me interested in taking a look at more of her stories. ...more